Drag.



11V. sTINsoN.

' Patented July 21, 1914.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

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` DRAG.

APPLIOATION-PILED AUG. 15, 1913.

1,104,1 54, Patented July 21, 19114.

. 3 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

l l. i

F. V. STINSON.

DRAG.

APPLIOATION FILED AUG.15. 1913.

1,104,154 A I Patented July 21,1914,

a SHEETS-SHEET 3.

l1/wanton) FREDERICK V. STINSON, 0F BOCKPORT, MAINE.

DRAG.

Specification of Letters Patent.

' Patented July 21, 1914.

Application led August 15, 1913. Serial No. 784,964.

To all whom it may concern.'

Be it known that'l, FREDERICK V. STIN- SON, a citizen of the United States, residing at Rockport, in the county of Knox and .State of Maine, have invented new and useful Improvements in Drags, of which the following is a specification.

The primary purpose of this invention is the provision of a device for gatheringv scallops, but which maybe used with equal marine product.

The invention provides a device which is reversible andl which while collecting the to'be moved in an opposite direction without requiring the lifting of the same from thewater.

The invention also has for its object to provide a bag which will admit of the scallops or other marine product readily entering the same and from which the product may be easily and quickly discharged, said bag having a mouth and a discharge, thelatter being at,the end remote from the mouth and comprising movable jaws which -are normally held closed -by positive means which when released admit of the jaws separating to deliver the product.

The invention consists of the novel features, details of construction and combina- 'tion of parts, whichv hereinafter will be more particularly set forth, illustrated in` the accompanying drawings, andpointed out in the appended claims.

Referring to the drawings, forming a part of the specification, Figure 1 is a top plan view of a drag embodying the invention. Fig. 2-isa side view, thefull lines showing the position of the bail when lowered and the dotted lines indicating the bail when. elevated. Fig. 3 is a rear view.- Fig. 4 is a longitudinal section, showing the parts on a larger scale, the intermediate portion of the bag or receptacle fory catching the product being broken away. Fig. 5 is a detail view in perspective, :showing more clearly the connection between thel mouth bars 'and side plates. Fig. '6 is a detail perspective view of a portion of the jaws for closing the discharge of the bag'. Fig. 7 is a side View of a modification showing the supporting wheels replaced by runners. Fig. 8 is a top plan View of a side portion of the drag, illustrated in Fig. 7. Fig. 9 is a side View of a lfurther modification. Fig. 10 is. a detail view of an end portion of the rear bars orl jaws of the modification shown in Figs. 7, 8 and 9. Fig. ll'is a modification, showing a different way of connecting the bag to the side plates. Fig. 12 is a detail view. showing more clearly the manner 'of adjustably connecting the rear vendsl of the runners with the side bars.

Correspondingand like parts are referred to in `the following description, and indicated in all the views of the drawings, by the same reference characters.

'The numeral 1 designate a bag or receptacle for receiving the scallops, bivalves, crustacea, or other marine product. This bag-may be of any capacity and is 'preferably formed of a plurality of rings which are connected by means of suitable links. The rings and links are of a size to prevent the escape of the scallops or like product when received in the bag, but which will admit of mud, slime and the like vpassingfreely from the bag. The bag or receptacle has a mouth at vits front or receiving end and an opening at its rea-r or discharge end. both ends of the bag being reinforced and stiiiened by means of bars which preferably are of L shape in cross section, the horizontal Wings being pierced at intervals to receive nected to' the plates 3 by means of bolts orV other suitable fastenings 8, which 4pass through the openings 5 of such plates and registering openings formed in the bars 7.

,Bolts 9 passing through, openings in the rear portions of the bar 7 and through the .arcuate slots 6 serve catetere the bars 7 to bil' lupon axles 16 the side plates t) in an adjusted position within the range of said slots (3. 'lhe front portions ot the bars 7 converge7 thence cxtend parallel and have their front ends bent inwardly and overlapped and bolted 'or otherwise secured. It supporting wheel 10 is mounted upon a bolt or axle 11 connecting the rear parts et the parallel portions of the bar 7. Short bars 12 are secured to the rear portions oli' the bars 7 and constitute stops to limit the upward swinging of a bail 13, which is pivotally connected to the bars 7 by bolts or fastenings 14. rlhe short'bars 12 have their end portions bent so as to eX- tend over and engage with the upper and lower edges ot' the bars 7, whereby the short bars are prevented :t'roin turning on the fastenings connecting them with the bar 7. Uther supporting' wheels 15 are located near the rear ends of the bar 7 and are mounted which are supported in the bars 7 and in keepers 17 spanning the wheels 15 and secured at their ends to the bars 7. It is to be understood that the wheels 15 may oe dispensed with, but it is preferred f to utilize the same since they prevent the lower mouth bar from sinking too far in the mud or slime 'forming the bottoni of thel body oi water in which the drag may be used. l f

The bars 18 forming the jaws for closing the discharge of the bag or receptacle 1 have their end portions bent, as indicated at 19, and pivotally connected. Studs 20 are fitted to one ot the bars 18 and support a rod Q11. A plurality of catches 22 are' mounted upon the rod 21 and are adapted to engage openings Q32* formed in the opposite bar so as to hold the two jaws closed. Springs 23 cooperate with the catches 22 to hold them in engagement with the openings 2&1. The rod Q1 has a handle Q4 secured thereto by means of which said rod may be turned to release the catches Q2 from the openings 23a when it is desired to discharge the contents from the bag or receptacle. The handle 24 lies close :wainst the bars 18 so as to be out of the way when the jaws are closed. strip 25 is attached to one of the bars to overlap the joint 'formed between the jaws when closed. rlhis strip may be of any yieldable material such as leather or canvas.

lVhen using the drag a rope or like connection is attached to the bail 13 and the drag is lowered into the water until it rests upon the bottom, after which the drag is advanced in the manner well understood in the art of dredging oysters, marine mollusks and other liie. The construction is suoli that the dra may be reversed oy pulling upward upon the bail and drawing in the op posite direction. the bag or receptacle 'ilexing to admit of one part moving upon the other. Since both sides are alike it makes no difference which one is in Contact with the bottom. The product enters the mouth of the bag or i lreptaele between the front bars 2 and is discharged from the rear end of the bag between the jaws 18 after the latter have been released by moving the rod Q1 to disengrzage the catches QQ from the openings 23a. 'lf he relative inclination oi' thc mouth ot' the bag may be changed by adjusting the bars 7 with reference to the side plates il, the side bars being secured by tightening the bolts or 'astenings t) after the required adjustment has been e'liccted.

The mouth ba or trent jaws may be variously formed and as shown in Figs. 7 and 8 the bars 2 are l'lat and are provided along their front edges with teeth 28 `which ina be ot any design or construction. so long as they serve to gather in the marine product to be collected, the teeth Q6 are preferably separate from th bars Qt and may be bolted'or otherwise secured thereto and are arranged to vi'lare toward their extremities thereby forming an extended mouth to facilitate the gathering in of the product,

It is contemplated to support the front end of the bag or receptacle either upon wheels or runners. Figs. 7 and S show runners as the supporting means, said runners being indicated at LN7-and consisting ot lon gitudinally curved bars which are pivotally connected at their 'front ends indicated at 28 to the bars 7 which have adjust able connections at their rear ends with the rear extremities of the bars 7 whereby provision is had for raising or lowering the mouth oit' the bag or receptacle as may be required. rlhc rear eues of the runners 27 are formed with a plurality ott openings 27 and are adapted to overlap and are adjustably connected to each other and to the bent ends of the bars 7 by means of bolts 9.9. The runners 27 are of a length to prevent the receptaele becoming entangled therewith. In this construction the side plates are dispensed with, the end portions of the bars Qa'being bent and arranged to overlap, the overlapped portions being secured to each other and to the bars 7.

In the construction shown in Fig. 9 the mouth bars 2b are of angle formation and have their wingsy arrangedA at an acute "tingle, the front wings inclining rearwardly so as to materially assist the mouth ot the receptacle in gliding over the bed of the water when the drag is in operation. The side plates 3l are of diterentiormation and the bars 7 are connected thereto in a manner so as netto admit of relative adjustment. The bail 13a is shown as constructed ot a rod which. lafter being doubled upon itself is given a partial twist at the fold to form an eye to which the draft, rope, cable or chain may be attached.

The rear jaws or bars may be constructed of metal or wood. Figs. 9 and 10 show the areclosedj-the projecting ends of .cnter'theopeningsofthef lates 32 and langage lajigtergj;- and `A`hold rear bars `or jaws 18a as constructed of wood, arlns 30being secured to the ends thereof and having pivotal and'sli connection with plates 31. The jaws 18 are held closed plates 32 and spring' actuated by means of catches 33,.,thesplates 32 having openings and being secured i catches 33 being secured to the other one of such barslS, When the vbars-or jaws 18a y e-jaws .fast and piecesli are "cdnnec'ted with the patches 33 and provide convenientl means for is required to release t e bars to discharge the product ac- Coplas ot thli patent may be obtainedip cumulated in the drag .whenv moving the saine over'the bed of the water.

'From the foregoing description,z taken inv connection with the accompanying, draw: ings, the advantages of the construction and .ofthe method ofoperation will be readil apparent to those skilled in the lart to whic the invention appertains, and while I have described the principle of operation of the invention, together with the device which I now consider to be the best embodiment` thereof, I desire to have it understood thatI the device shown is merely illustrative, and` that such changes may be made whendesired as are within the scope of the 'claims appended hereto. Y

It is proposed to connect the 'bag 1 to the front and. rear side convenient, substantial and effective manner. Fig. 11 shows the sides of the bag attached toone'ofthenbars 18*L andthe -h thecatches the bottom and fix mouth lotaly tively 'adjustable with reference thereto,' means'for securingthe side plates and jaws in anyto the rear side the best results.

Having thus described the invention what is claimed as new, is l 1. In a drag of the character described, the combination .of a receptacle, mouth bars avin-g connection with plates 3l in a way to obtain cured thereto and held spaced apart thereby, side bars adjustably vconnected with the .side plates,

with the side A I bars to the plates inthecadjusted position, and a bail having pivotal connection with the said side bars.

3'. fInrcombinetion with adrag, and side connected therewith, oppositely .dis-

. posed runnerspivotally connected at one end bars and having adjustable with thezside connection vat the op ,ositevend with each other and with the s1 'e bars.

in presence o two witnesses.

' FREDERICK V. STIN SON. Witnesses WILLIAM STANrrRn,

JOSHUA N. Tinnn'r'rs.

ve cents each, by addressing' 1the Commissioner of Patents Washington, D. C.

the receptacle, sideV plates having the ends of the mouth bars se- In testimon whereof I aliX my signature 

